Where The Rivers Meet
2021-09-28 - 2026-12-31 | Guelph Civic Museum, 52 Norfolk Street, Guelph, Ontario, N1H 4H8, Canada
Where The Rivers Meet is a display within the City Gallery that centers the Original Peoples who have been on this land since time immemorial. It includes information about migration, land relationship, treaties, impacts of colonization, and past and present-day perspectives. The display also considers the founding story of Guelph within the context of a longer history lens.
This display is a living exhibition that reflects the truth as we understand it today. We continue to learn from our treaty partner, the Missisaugas of the Credit First Nation, and from Indigenous people who call Guelph home today. The display will continue to be updated as our knowledge grows.

Folklore: Being and Belonging in the Grand River Region, before and after 1827
2024-02-17 08:00 - 2024-08-11 17:00 (America/Toronto) | Guelph Civic Museum, 52 Norfolk Street, Guelph, Ontario, N1H 4H8, Canada
Folkloric practices – beliefs and customs passed through generations, often by oral traditions – have been shared through stories and storytellers in this place, long before it was known as Guelph.
At the turn of the 19th century, the Grand River region comprised both Indigenous and settler communities, including the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation and the Six Nations Confederacy (Seneca, Cayuga, Onondaga, Oneida, Mohawk, and Tuscarora), as well as Black Loyalists (both free and enslaved peoples who sought refuge in Canada after the American Revolution) and Scottish colonists, among other European settlers.
Exploring relationships with land, water, and weather; food, plants, and medicine; language, stories, and teaching; music and dance; crafting and creating; and societal roles and community gathering, this exhibition examines communication and conflict among local cultural, geographic, and spiritual communities, before and after 1827.
Through stories, belongings, and creative expressions of the past, we witness the evolution of everyday life in the place we now call Guelph, and draw connections to present-day lived experiences. Then, as today, folkloric practices contribute to culture, community, being, and belonging.
Cover image: Berry Picking on River Road (Six Nations Public Library SNPL000359v00i)
Sophia Lawson Mallotte and Myrtle Mallotte (Guelph Museums 1998.33.12)
John and Irvine Laidlaw (Guelph Museums 1972.20.47)

Revelations From The Collection
2024-03-05 08:00 - 2026-08-30 17:00 | Guelph Civic Museum, 52 Norfolk Street, Guelph, Ontario, N1H 4H8, Canada
Guelph Museums has a growing collection of over 50,000 items, including objects, archival material, and photographs. This collection allows us to record the tangible and intangible history of the place we now call Guelph. Using large-scale photography, Revelations from the Collection showcases a diverse selection of artifacts and archival material from Guelph Museums’ extensive collection. It provides an opportunity for visitors to engage with artifacts in a unique way and enhance their knowledge and understanding of Guelph’s history and community.

Tea at 2
2024-08-09 14:00 - 16:00 | McCrae House, 108 Water Street, Guelph, Ontario, N1G 1A6, Canada
Guests can enjoy bottomless pots of McCrae Private blend tea or our Town Garden blend tea as well as scones, whipped cream, berries, and other sweet treats in the backyard gardens at the McCrae house museum. There is one seating for tea at 2:00 pm and the tea finishes at 4:00 pm.
PLEASE NOTE: Tea is served outside. Please dress according to weather conditions. We recommend casual clothing and comfortable shoes. In the case of severe inclement weather, afternoon tea may be cancelled or moved indoors to the Coach House. If this occurs, we will attempt to contact you in advance to possibly reschedule your reservation.
Save your spot on Eventbrite
The fee of $18.00 per person + tax may be paid at the McCrae House reception desk the day of your Tea service. Cash, debit & credit payments are accepted.
If you are unable to keep your reservation, please notify Guelph Museums by cancelling online in advance or by calling the direct line at McCrae House – 519-836-1482.

The Amazing Race Canada Live Viewing Party
2024-08-13 20:00 - 22:00 | Guelph Civic Museum, 52 Norfolk Street, Guelph, Ontario, N1H 4H8, Canada
As a special edition of Guelph’s Cinema in the City programming, you’re invited to watch Amazing Race Canada contestants navigate to some of Guelph’s favourite places on the patio of the Guelph Civic Museum, looking out over Downtown Guelph.
Pre-show activities begin at 8 p.m. and the show begins at 9 p.m. There will be a cash bar, music, and a Gather in Guelph give away.
Bring your lawn chair, blankets, snacks, and get ready to cheer on the contestants!
This event is free to attend; no pre-registration required.

McCrae House Backyard Theatre
2024-08-15 19:00 - 20:10 | McCrae House, 108 Water Street, Guelph, Ontario, N1G 1A6, Canada
What are the causes of war? Is war simply human nature? Is the goal of world peace realistic? Artivist and educator Rhapsodius (aka Andrew Craig) presents a one-person, one-act show that poses these questions and more, and offers possible answers. “War and Peace: Songs and Monologues” features some of the greatest songs about war and peace composed in the 20th century, by artists such as Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Bob Dylan, John Lennon, and Bob Marley. Rhapsodius weaves together these songs with deeply considered monologues that draw equally from the ancient writings of Sun Tzu as well as from contemporary authors such as Gwynne Dyer, Margaret McMillan, Pema Chodron and the Dalai Lama. “War and Peace: Songs and Monologues” aims to educate, enlighten, uplift and inspire in equal measure, and leave you with the sense that a peaceful world is indeed possible, and that we can co-create it.
Tickets are $25 each, available on Eventbrite or by calling 519-836-1221.
PLEASE NOTE: War And Peace: Songs And Monologues is performed outside in the backyard of McCrae House. Please dress according to weather conditions. We recommend casual clothing and comfortable shoes. The show will go on through most weather conditions. In the case of severe inclement weather, a performance may be delayed or cancelled. If a performance is cancelled, your tickets will be automatically refunded, and we will assist you in securing tickets for another performance, if possible.

Fourth Friday: annais linares
2024-08-23 17:00 - 21:00 | Guelph Civic Museum, 52 Norfolk Street, Guelph, Ontario, N1H 4H8, Canada
Every Fourth Friday of the month enjoy free admission to the Civic Museum from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m., and a free concert starting at 7 p.m. Through the summer, if weather permits, enjoy music on the patio! This month’s featured performer is Guelph-based vocalist-musician and social practice artist annais linares.
Cash bar. NOTE: Preregistration is not required.
Join annais linares and friends for our free fourth Friday show this August 23rd! annais will perform two sets of original music, covers she loves, and a short collaborative improvisation from 7 pm – 9 pm. For her first set, she’ll be joined by bass player Ben Finley, who will both serenade you with musical stories in sparkly soundscapes. Then, she’ll kick up the power with her latest pop / rock project for set #2, alongside guitarist Hilary Lockhart. Don’t miss this mixed bag of fun, joy and wonder! See you there.
About annais linares:
annais linares is a vocalist-musician and social practice artist studying arts-based kin making through the Critical Studies in Improvisation program at the University of Guelph. She grew up in the sunny, dry and slightly kooky desert of Palm Springs, California which has informed her creative openness and desire to make delightful art in the world. Her vocal practice bridges sentimental storytelling with experimental improvisation, contextualized by the space and place of the expression. She is interested in learning more about the lands she currently lives, works and plays on, which has sparked the concept of arts-based kin making as part of that navigation. Through it, she hopes to build and nurture relationships with human and more-than-human kin and collectively heal aspects of species loneliness.

Weaving Cultural Identities: Celebrating Heritage and Textile Traditions
2024-08-24 08:00 - 2025-01-05 17:00 | Guelph Civic Museum, 52 Norfolk Street, Guelph, Ontario, N1H 4H8, Canada
This Vancouver Biennale nationally-touring exhibition brings together artists and graphic designers of diverse Indigenous and Muslim backgrounds to collaborate on a series of textile artworks that celebrate the sacred, historic, and creative significance of prayer rugs and weaving traditions.
The project began with a series of questions:
In a contemporary society of mixed cultures and values, how do we begin to navigate heritage and diverse beliefs? How do we share sacred space?
How do we come together to understand each other’s experiences?
What can we learn about ourselves from our inherited histories?
What can we learn from each other?
In the co-creation of the exhibition, the artists developed a platform and process for community dialogue centred in discussions of belonging, forced displacement, diaspora, assimilation, and relationship to the land. The resulting series of prayer rugs became a spiritual conduit from past to present and between peoples and places, both near and far.
Through the integrated motifs and design elements, this exhibition will inspire visitors to explore their own cultural identities, while honouring ancestral legacies and celebrating inter-cultural connections.
Weaving Cultural Identities: Celebrating Heritage and Textile Traditions was curated by Zarina Laalo and commissioned as part of the 2018-2021 Vancouver Biennale, with touring support from the Canada Council for the Arts and the British Columbia Arts Council.
Guelph Museums’ presentation is funded in part by the Government of Canada, through the Museums Assistance Program – Exhibition Circulation Fund.
Tisser les identités culturelles : saluer la diversité et les traditions textiles
Cette exposition nationale itinérante réunit une variété d’ artistes et graphistes autochtones et musulman.es afin de collaborer sur une série d’œuvres d’art en tissu qui fête l’importance sacrée, historique et créative des tapis de prière et des traditions des arts tissés.
Le projet a commencé par une série de questions :
Dans une société contemporaine qui mélange des cultures et des valeurs, comment peut-on commencer à négocier nos héritages et croyances ?
Comment peut-on partager l’espace sacré ?
Comment peut-on venir ensemble afin de comprendre les expériences des un.es et des autres ?
Qu’est-ce que les personnes peuvent apprendre sur eux-même des histoires qu’elles ont héritées ?
Qu’est-ce qu’on peut apprendre les un.es des autres ?
Au cours de la création conjointe de l’exposition, les artistes ont établi une plateforme et un processus de dialogue communautaire centrés sur les discussions relatives à l’appartenance, au déplacement forcé, à la diaspora, à l’assimilation et à la relation à la terre.
La série de tapis de prière qui en résulte est devenue une voie spirituelle entre le passé et le présent, entre les peuples et les lieux, qu’ils soient proches ou lointains.
Cette exposition, qui intègre des motifs et des éléments de conception, inspirera les visiteurs à explorer leur propre identité culturelle, tout en honorant les héritages ancestraux et en célébrant les liens interculturels.
Tisser des identités culturelles : Saluer la diversité et les traditions textiles a été organisée par Zarina Laalo. L’exposition a été commandée pour la Biennale de Vancouver de 2018-2021, avec le soutien du Conseil des Arts du Canada et du BC Arts Council pour la tournée
La présentation des Musées de Guelph est financée en partie par le gouvernement du Canada, grâce au Fonds des expositions itinérantes — Programme d’aide aux musées.

Prayer Rug

Reflections

Skw’enmáylh – Prayer

Unbroken Prayer (Tellequah’s Message)

What Does Your Path Look Like?

Find What You Need

The Other Side

Dialogues of Spirit

Celebrating Knowledge and Belief: An Intercultural Dialogue

Whose Needle (Can) Will Re-stitch the Earth to the Sky

Image Credits from Left to Right:
Top Row: 1. Find What You Need by Dawn Livera & Adrienne Neufeld (textile artists), Doaa Jamal (graphic artist) 2. The Other Side by Damian John (graphic artist), Nadia Sajjad (textile artist) 3. Skw’enmáylh – Prayer by Angela George (textile artist), Michelle Nahanee (graphic artist) 4. Celebrating Knowledge and Belief: An Intercultural Dialogue by Ruth Scheuing & Mary Lou Trinkwon (textile artists), Sholeh Mahloji (graphic artist) 5. Reflections by Robyn Sparrow (textile artist)
Bottom Row: 1. What Does Your Path Look Like? by Doaa Jamal (graphic artist), Krista Point (textile artist)2. Prayer Rug by Debra Sparrow (textile artist) 3. Dialogues of Spirit by Michelle Sirois Silver (textile artist), Damian John (graphic artist)4. Unbroken Prayer (Tellequah’s Message) by Michelle Nahanee (graphic artist), Chief Janice George & Buddy Joseph (textile artists) 5. Whose Needle (Can) Will Re-stitch the Earth to the Sky Shamina Senaratne (textile artist), Sholeh Mahloji (graphic artist)

Art as We Are: Creative Community Care
2024-08-24 08:00 - 2025-08-10 17:00 | Guelph Civic Museum, 52 Norfolk Street, Guelph, Ontario, N1H 4H8, Canada
Organized by Art Not Shame and Guelph Museums, Art as We Are: Creative Community Care spotlights three projects centred in collective community-making through art and involving about 200 local creators: Art in Hard Times (2020), Art in a Just Recovery (2023), and Community Fabric (2024). The exhibition also shares the origin story of Art Not Shame, a community-engaged, multidisciplinary arts organization serving youth and adults in Guelph and across Ontario since 2017.
In 2020, artist Melanie Schambach led a team of artists and social support workers in the creation of The Mural Project: Art in Hard Times. Collectively, they aimed to amplify the voices of those who identified as: newcomers, LGBTQ21+, Black, Indigenous, people of colour, street engaged, adults with developmental exceptionalities, and youth struggling with mental health and addictions.
In 2023, Art Not Shame, Guelph Neighbourhood Support Coalition, and artist Melanie Schambach collaborated on Art in a Just Recovery: Reconnecting to Us, a project that explored community care in pandemic recovery. Through a series of in-person and online art-making workshops, participants were partnered with Art Buddies in creating artworks that came together in a large-scale mural.
In 2024, Art Not Shame, Guelph Neighbourhood Support Coalition, and Guelph Museums collaborated on the Community Fabric project 一 a ten-week community-arts series in which participants worked together to create a community quilt, build social connections, and develop skills to support their mental health and wellbeing. The completed quilt will be unveiled in the exhibition Art as We Are: Creative Community Care, which opened for public viewing on Saturday, August 24.

Alchemy Embroidery - Collaboratively Altering Paper with Needle and Thread
2024-08-24 10:00 - 13:00 | Guelph Civic Museum, 52 Norfolk Street, Guelph, Ontario, N1H 4H8, Canada
The history of a society or an individual can be told through textiles, and these narratives may not be present in other historical records. The only trace of a life lived may be found on an embroidered piece of cloth. Embroidery has enormous cultural significances being valued as an expressive medium in many cultures and becoming a storehouse of art and the emotions and history that can be associated with it.
In this workshop you will be introduced to embroidery stitches that will be applied to paper which can be delicate, fragile, easily torn, pierced and mended.
Over 3 hours which will start with demonstrations and practice, we will work together and restore a purposely damaged print, bringing shards of paper and ink together to create a collaborative new version of a work of art on paper.
This workshop is part of a series that will connect community to chat and share creative time using needle, thread and paper as the catalysts and leading to an all participants event during the 2024 Culture Days in September to exhibit and present our restored works of art.
Everyone is welcomed to join in, no matter what your level of stitching might be.
The workshop costs just $10.00 which covers a generous kit of supplies you keep. Preregistration is required. Tickets are available on Eventbrite.
About The Instructor
Mary Kroetsch’s practice is research-creational integrating mixed methods of making to push and explore the problems arising from limitations and disconnects that happen when many layers impact surfaces, production, and fabrication.
She obtained Certification in Textile Surface Design from the Haliburton School of the Arts, studied Visual Arts Foundations at Central Tech Art School, Toronto, and completed the Ontario Arts Council’s Artist-Educator Foundations Course.
She completed her Studio Arts Degree with the University of Guelph, Ontario in 2023.
Her work has recently been part of exhibitions at the Elora Centre for the Arts (Elora, Ontario) the Propeller Art Gallery, (Toronto, Ontario), the Boarding House Gallery, (Guelph, Ontario), and the 2020 Ateliers Kitchen Print Biennial, (Charmes, France).
Mary’s works are part of private and public collections including St. Michael’s Hospital, (Toronto, Ontario), the Ilkley Museum, (Yorkshire, England) and the CAMAC Centre for Art and Technology, (Marnay, France).

Cinema in the City: Akeelah and the Bee
2024-08-30 19:30 - 23:00 | Riverside Park, 709 Woolwich Street, Guelph, Ontario, N1H7G6, Canada
Join us for a FREE screening of Akeelah and the Bee in the park! Bring your lawn chairs and snacks, we’ll bring the movie.
Pre-show crafts with Guelph Public Library at 7:30 pm
The film begins at approximately 8:30 pm.
About the film:
Akeelah, an 11-year-old girl living in South Los Angeles, discovers she has a talent for spelling, which she hopes will take her to the National Spelling Bee. Despite her mother’s objections, Akeelah doesn’t give up on her goal. She finds help in the form of a mysterious teacher, and along with overwhelming support from her community, Akeelah might just have what it takes to make her dream come true.

Guelph Pipe Band Concert at McCrae House
2024-09-11 18:30 - 20:00 | McCrae House, 108 Water Street, Guelph, Ontario, N1G 1A6, Canada
The Guelph Pipe Band invites visitors to attend an official performance with the band in uniform as they play a variety of tunes that they perform at competitions. . The pipe major will interact with the audience and provide an overview of what they will be performing.

Pull up your lawn chair and enjoy the sound of bagpipes at the end of the day at McCrae Memorial Gardens.
https://guelphpipeband.com/

Vinta – Bal Folk workshop and performance in partnership with Guelph Jazz Festival
2024-09-15 13:00 - 15:30 | Guelph Civic Museum, 52 Norfolk Street, Guelph, Ontario, N1H 4H8, Canada
Guelph Civic Museum partners with the Guelph Jazz Festival to present a unique opportunity for the community to engage in a folk dance workshop. Join us for a free “Bal Folk” dance workshop hosted by Vinta at 1 PM, followed by a captivating ‘Bal’ performance at 2:15 PM.
“Bal Folk” is community social folk dancing to live music, accessible to complete beginners—no experience or partner necessary. It features Western European folk dancing with a focus on various regional dances from France. Experience group dances that resemble square dancing or contra dancing, dances in long snakey lines from Brittany (the Celtic region of France), and partner dances like the waltz and polka.
Join us for an afternoon of dance, music, and community connection!
For more information: https://guelphjazzfestival.com/2024/vinta-bal-folk-workshop-and-performance-on/

Military Lecture: Endgame: The Secret Force 136 by Catherine Little
2024-09-19 19:00 - 20:30 | Guelph Civic Museum, 52 Norfolk Street, Guelph, Ontario, N1H 4H8, Canada
Catherine Little explores contributions of early Canadian-born Chinese to Canada’s Second World War efforts and the sacrifices its members made to show their loyalty to a country that had utterly disregarded them.
Doors open at 6:30 and the presentation starts at 7:00, followed by a question period.
Endgame: The Secret Force 136 is presented by Catherine Little. The lecture premiered in-person at the Civic Museum, and online via our Facebook livestream The recorded conversation is available on Facebook, YouTube, and our Museum Everywhere Portal. Guelph Museums’ Military Lecture series is presented in partnership with the Laurier Centre for the Study of Canada.
Watch The Recording

About Catherine Little:

Catherine Little is an educator, consultant and writer living in Toronto, Ontario. She immigrated to Canada from India when she was a child and started school unable to speak English. Catherine learned quickly and eventually attended university and started her teaching career as a junior high school mathematics and science teacher. During this time, she started to write textbooks, work in curriculum consultation and teach in the Faculty of Education at York University. Her writing expanded to included pieces for the Globe and Mail, Toronto Star and other publications.
Catherine has a passion for picture books and often used them in the classroom to enhance her mathematics, science and language lessons. Her books celebrate Chinese culture (Twelve in a Race and Dragon’s Dilemma) and illuminate contributions (Endgame: The Secret Force 136). She wrote Endgame after learning about the Force 136’s existence just a few years ago and envisioned a book that could help more families learn of this little-known chapter in Canadian history. Her books have been reviewed by CanLit for LittleCanadians, Quill and Quire and featured on CBC book lists. Endgame: The Secret Force 136 was a 2023 pick for one of 11 Canadian books to read for Remembrance Day.

Welcoming Week: Floral Folklore and Pressed Wildflower Art by Nimra Bandukwala
2024-09-21 11:00 - 14:00 | Guelph Civic Museum, 52 Norfolk Street, Guelph, Ontario, N1H 4H8, Canada
Guelph Civic Museum warmly WELCOMES all to an inspiring exploration of local ecology, folklore, and creativity! Led by Nimra Bandukwala, this free workshop offers a unique blend of learning, storytelling, and artistic expression.
What to expect?

Ecological awareness: Discover the wonders of the local environment by working with invasive wildflowers. Learn about ethical foraging practices and their impact on the ecosystem.
Tales of blooms: Share captivating stories and memories associated with flowers. From ancient myths to personal anecdotes, let the petals unfold their secrets.
Pressed flower art: Be immersed in the therapeutic process of gathering, pressing, and creating art with wildflowers. Transform delicate blooms into timeless masterpieces.
Safe space: Enjoy a nurturing environment for reflection and sharing. Connect with fellow participants and explore the beauty of nature together
The workshop is free to participate in and all material will be provided.

Welcoming Week is an annual campaign that connects neighbours of all backgrounds through community activities and events, reaffirming welcoming values, fostering a mutual understanding between immigrants and non-immigrants, and building a deeper sense of belonging for Newcomers and all.
To celebrate Welcoming Week, admission to the Civic Museum and McCrae House will be free from September 20-22.

City of Guelph 2024 Artist-in-Residence Tracey-Mae Chambers: #HopeAndHealingCanada
2024-09-22 13:00 - 16:00 | Shelldale Family Gateway, 20 Shelldale Crescent, Guelph, Ontario, N1H1C8, Canada
City of Guelph’s 2024 Artist-in-Residence, Tracey-Mae Chambers, will present an artist talk and single-day exhibition of the community weavings created throughout the residency, during Culture Days on Sunday, September 22. Join Tracey-Mae at Shelldale Family Gateway between 1 and 4 p.m., with an artist talk at 2 p.m. to learn about her #HopeAndHealingCanada project that has been installed across the country and brought back to Guelph this year. Register for free on Eventbrite.
Throughout the 15-week residency, Tracey-Mae Chambers engaged the Guelph community at over ten locations, in conversations centered in truth and reconciliation through community weaving workshops and pop-up textile installations both indoor and outdoor. Creating public activations and interventions using yarn and community dialogue, Tracey-Mae approaches her work through the lens of collectively decolonizing place.
Venue and event presentation are generously supported by the Guelph Neighbourhood Support Coalition.
About the Artist
Tracey-Mae Chambers is a Toronto-based artist and proud citizen of the Métis Nation of Ontario, creating site-specific installations. Deeply influenced by her personal history, Chambers’ installations invite audiences to contemplate identity, belonging, decolonization and reconciliation. Since discovering her Métis heritage in adulthood, Chambers has embarked on a quest for harmony with the natural world, where she found solace in the vessel as a metaphor for individual journeys, continually filling and refilling one’s narrative.
About the Artist-in-Residence program:
The City of Guelph offers the Artist-in-Residence program to broaden the community’s experience of the arts, inviting artists to engage with the public and showcase their creative practices while animating public spaces. The program aligns with the vision of Guelph’s Culture Plan, fostering innovation through creativity, curiosity and collaborative expression.
About Guelph Neighbourhood Support Coalition:
The Guelph Neighbourhood Support Coalition is a network of neighbourhood groups, sponsoring agencies and program partners. Each neighbourhood group operates in an autonomous way at the grass roots level to meet the needs of children, youth and families that have been identified within the neighbourhood. Through the Coalition, the neighbourhood groups bring together their collective resources to share information, provide support, distribute available funding resources and advocate for community issues.

Fourth Friday: Joni Nehrita
2024-09-27 17:00 - 21:00 | Guelph Civic Museum, 52 Norfolk Street, Guelph, Ontario, N1H 4H8, Canada
Every Fourth Friday of the month enjoy free admission to the Civic Museum from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. and a free concert starting at 7 p.m. If weather permits, enjoy music on the patio!
This Fourth Friday we celebrate Culture Days, the opening of new feature exhibitions – “Art as We Are: Creative Community Care” presented in collaboration with Art Not Shame, and “Weaving Cultural Identities: Celebrating Heritage and Textile Traditions,” and the unveiling of a display of works created through the “Alchemy Embroidery–Collaboratively Altering Paper with Needle and Thread” project.
Jamaican-Canadian artist Joni NehRita’s performance will touch on themes of universal love and social justice. Her jazz-tinged brand of soul is drenched in Afro-Latin and Caribbean rhythms. The multi-instrumentalist, songwriter and arranger has a gift for writing infectious songs that make you move as well as think. A seasoned performer, she has played on stages in North America, Europe, Brazil and Australia.
For the second half of her performance NehRita will lead the audience in an immersive community experience through a Música do Círculo (Music of the Circle) style “flow.” Música do Círculo originates in São Paulo, Brazil and is a collective music-making experience featuring games and activities that help uncover spontaneous and joyful music while fostering collaboration, creativity and community.
Música do Círculo involves improvisation, body music, non-verbal communication, movement, singing, and play. It’s a no-tech, embodied, and super fun way of making music with others. Since it is all improvised, each session is uniquely special. No musical experience necessary. It’s a judgement free zone

Alchemy Embroidery - Collaboratively Altering Paper with Needle and Thread
2024-09-27 18:30 - 2024-09-29 17:00 | Guelph Civic Museum, 52 Norfolk Street, Guelph, Ontario, N1H 4H8, Canada
The history of a society or an individual can be told through textiles, and these narratives may not be present in other historical records. The only trace of a life lived may be found on an embroidered piece of cloth. Embroidery has enormous cultural significance being valued as an expressive medium in many cultures and becoming a storehouse of art and the emotions and history that can be associated with it. Through a workshop series offered over the past several months, participants were introduced to embroidery stitches that were applied to paper which can be delicate, fragile, easily torn, pierced and mended. This exhibition showcases the restored works of art created through the workshops, as participants shared creative time using needle, thread and paper.
Opening Reception:
Friday, September 27, 6:30 to 8:30 PM
A Stitch in Public Day event will take place in the exhibition space on Saturday, September 28.
About the artist:
Mary Kroetsch’s work involves deconstructing through fragmentation and reconstructing those fragments to shift time that was, to time that is, or could be.
She probes the mysterious images of people and things she wants to know about using multiple mediums with creative technologies – merging, layering, cutting and melding the parts of a perceived existence into a hybrid identity. Many hypothetical elements are arranged in a collection that coheres into a conceptual depiction.
She is inspired by the relationship She has with vintage photography, which in all its forms is used to create and archive circumstances – documenting, tracing and memorializing them. When she studies a photograph she tries to understand who and what is being preserved, chipping away to find a fragmented existence that is motionless and stagnant but has a history of being. Abstract imagery shares imagined stories – raising multiple conversations about individuality.
Her artistic practice is research-creational integrating mixed methods of making to push and explore the problems arising from limitations and disconnects that happen when many layers impact surfaces, production, and fabrication.
Mary obtained Certification in Textile Surface Design from the Haliburton School of the Arts, studied Visual Arts Foundations at Central Tech Art School, Toronto, and completed the Ontario Arts Council’s Artist-Educator Foundations Course.
She graduated with a Studio Arts Degree from the University of Guelph, Ontario in 2023.
Her work has recently been part of exhibitions at the Elora Centre for the Arts (Elora, Ontario) the Propeller Art Gallery, (Toronto, Ontario), the Boarding House Gallery, (Guelph, Ontario), and the 2020 Ateliers Kitchen Print Biennial, (Charmes, France).
Mary’s creations are part of private and public collections including St. Michael’s Hospital, (Toronto, Ontario), the Ilkley Museum, (Yorkshire, England) and the CAMAC Centre for Art and Technology, (Marnay, France).

Stitch in Public Day
2024-09-28 11:00 - 15:00 | Guelph Civic Museum, 52 Norfolk Street, Guelph, Ontario, N1H 4H8, Canada
The Canadian Embroiders’ Guild celebrates needle arts by encouraging a Stitch-In-Public Day in September each year. Join Mary Kroetsch to learn and explore how to stitch on paper or bring your own projects to work on.
Take inspiration from works on display in the Alchemy Embroidery – Collaboratively Altering Paper with Needle and Thread exhibition, created by workshop participants over the past several months.
About the artist:
Mary Kroetsch’s work involves deconstructing through fragmentation and reconstructing those fragments to shift time that was, to time that is, or could be.
She probes the mysterious images of people and things she wants to know about using multiple mediums with creative technologies – merging, layering, cutting and melding the parts of a perceived existence into a hybrid identity. Many hypothetical elements are arranged in a collection that coheres into a conceptual depiction.
She is inspired by the relationship She has with vintage photography, which in all its forms is used to create and archive circumstances – documenting, tracing and memorializing them. When she studies a photograph she tries to understand who and what is being preserved, chipping away to find a fragmented existence that is motionless and stagnant but has a history of being. Abstract imagery shares imagined stories – raising multiple conversations about individuality.
Her artistic practice is research-creational integrating mixed methods of making to push and explore the problems arising from limitations and disconnects that happen when many layers impact surfaces, production, and fabrication.
Mary obtained Certification in Textile Surface Design from the Haliburton School of the Arts, studied Visual Arts Foundations at Central Tech Art School, Toronto, and completed the Ontario Arts Council’s Artist-Educator Foundations Course.
She graduated with a Studio Arts Degree from the University of Guelph, Ontario in 2023.
Her work has recently been part of exhibitions at the Elora Centre for the Arts (Elora, Ontario) the Propeller Art Gallery, (Toronto, Ontario), the Boarding House Gallery, (Guelph, Ontario), and the 2020 Ateliers Kitchen Print Biennial, (Charmes, France).
Mary’s creations are part of private and public collections including St. Michael’s Hospital, (Toronto, Ontario), the Ilkley Museum, (Yorkshire, England) and the CAMAC Centre for Art and Technology, (Marnay, France).

Truth & Reconciliation After-School Event
2024-09-30 15:30 - 17:30 | Ontario
It is one thing to mourn the loss of children to residential schools, but how do we honour these children?
How do we bring balance to the lives of survivors and their families?
These children were deprived of language, ceremony, community, and joy.
To balance this injustice, and in honour of the Articles set out in the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, the Guelph Indigenous Community Council has partnered with Guelph Civic Museum and the Guelph Outdoor School to host an after-school gathering for the children and youth of the community who have spent their day in classrooms being taught in a colonial way about the legacy of residential schools.
All are welcome to join and to honour the children with land-based and Indigenous teachings, including a sacred fire, outdoor and indoor activities, and a raptor presentation by Birds of Prey.

Roots to Reconciliation: Songs and Stories with Rene Meshake
2024-09-30 19:00 - 20:15 | Guelph Civic Museum, 52 Norfolk Street, Guelph, Ontario, N1H 4H8, Canada
Join us on National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, also known as Orange Shirt Day, for a profound and reflective event led by Rene Meshake, an esteemed Anishinaabe elder, visual and performing artist, author, storyteller, flute player, and new media artist. A recipient of Queen Elizabeth II’s Diamond Jubilee Medal, Meshake has dedicated his life to fusing Anishinaabe and English words into his stories, poetry, and spoken word performances, sharing his spiritual heritage with the contemporary world.
Born in the railway town of Nakina in Northwestern Ontario and raised by his Okomissan grandmother, Meshake’s education in Anishinaabe oral tradition, language, arts, and culture, along with his formal training in Graphic Design from Sheridan College and Creative Writing from the Humber School for Writers, has shaped his unique and powerful artistic voice.
A residential school survivor, Meshake will lead us on a reflective journey with his Pipigwan (flute), drums, and storytelling. His body of artwork, stories, and flute improvisations create a strong, expressive, presentation that resonates with an ever-increasing audience.
The event will last approximately 60 minutes, with a short break. All are welcome to join this important observance, honoring the experiences of Indigenous peoples and fostering understanding and reconciliation.

Amplifying Harriet Miller's Voice: Limited Screening & Artist Panel
2024-10-03 18:00 - 20:00 | St. Joseph’s Health Centre, 100 Westmount Road, Guelph, Ontario, N1H5H8, Canada
Join HAUI, 2024 City of Guelph Artist-in-Residence, for a limited screening and artist panel for “Amplifying Harriet Miller’s Voice: A Celebration of Femininity, Blackness, and Healing” at St. Joseph’s Health Centre Guelph on October 3 at 6 p.m.
The evening will showcase the screening of the multi-media project, produced by Public Domain Theatre x HAUI and co-produced by b current, that explores the true story of “Aunt” Harriet Miller, who lived in the Sisters of St. Joseph’s Hospital for almost a decade in her senior years. At the time of her passing in 1932, Harriet had lost her memory and immediate family, leaving many details about her life unknown. The health data referenced in this work was not obtained from medical records. It is based on historical registry information obtained from public census records
The opening reception and panel will feature a chance to learn from HAUI and collaborator Ahdri Zhina Mandiela, Denise Francis, President of Guelph Black Heritage Society; and Audrey Devitt, Behavioural Supports Ontario (BSO) Strategic Lead, St. Joseph’s Health Centre Guelph, about the story of Harriet Miller, memory loss, the creative process of this project, and the experiences held and had throughout the residency.
The video will be on exhibition at St. Joseph’s on October 4-5 (9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.) and October 6 (11:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.) as part of Ontario Culture Days. All are welcome to drop in, experience, and reflect on Harriet Miller’s story.
Throughout a 15-week residency, HAUI delved into Guelph Museums archives, St. Joseph’s Health Centre Guelph’s archives, and nourished community collaborations with Guelph Black Heritage Society, University of Guelph scholars Dr. Jade Ferguson and Deirdre McCorkindale, and Stratford Perth Museum.
Register on Eventbrite to attend the October 3 panel and screening
Meet The Panel

HAUI is a Stratford-based award-winning mixed-media artist, who directs, devises and designs cross-disciplinary works for stage, screen and visual mediums. Known for rejecting categorizations, HAUI amplifies overlooked themes, myths, histories and perspectives through an unconventional, diverse lens.

ahdri zhina mandiela is best known as the founder & past artistic director of Toronto-based b current Performing Arts, and is a revered poet/performer and stage director, who introduced the ever-evolving dub theatre form with her seminal performance work: dark diaspora… in dub in 1991. Since the late 70’s her work has influenced scores of artists, emerging and established; especially as the visionary and driving force behind the highly-buzzed rock.paper.sistahz festival and rAiz’n the Sun training. With three published books, this fiercely independent and award-winning artist has creations in dance, theatre, cd, film, and video; and continues to inspire younger artists writing and performing on theatre stages all over Canada.

Denise L. Francis currently serves as the Program Coordinator / Treasurer of the Guelph Black Heritage Society (GBHS). Denise is a founding GBHS board member and has also served as President, Secretary, Chair of the Programming Committee and on the Building Committee. A long-term employee of the Waterloo Catholic District School Board she is currently the Senior Health & Safety Partner in the Human Resource Services Department. In 2016, Denise was a recipient of the City of Guelph Mayor’s Award. The Mayor’s Awards honour Guelph’s difference makers – people who make our city a better place through volunteer service. In 2021 she was awarded a Community Leadership Award from the Lieutenant Governor’s Ontario Heritage Awards which honours exemplary leadership, commitment, creativity, positive impact and demonstrations of best practices in conservation. As well, Denise was one of 12 finalists for the 2022 Governor General’s History Award for Excellence in Community Programming. Denise was recognised as one of the 100 Black Women to watch in Canada 2022 by the Canada International Black Women Excellence (CIBWE). In 2024 she was honoured to be awarded a King Charles III Coronation Medal in recognition of her service to the community.

Audrey Devitt completed a master’s degree in Leadership with a Health Specialization at the University of Guelph. She has been an employee of St. Joseph’s Health Centre for over 30 years. She credits her passion and vocation to serving vulnerable populations. She has worked with vulnerable older adults in both a clinical and managerial capacity. Her leadership abilities are evidenced in her competence in mentoring and coaching clinicians in the field of Specialized Geriatrics. Audrey is the Behaviour Supports Services Lead with St. Joseph’s Health Centre Guelph.
About St. Joseph’s Health Centre Guelph
St. Joseph’s Health Centre Guelph is a leader in providing outstanding healthcare and support to clients, families, and the community. Their programs and services support people of all ages who need rehabilitation, complex medical, or long term care. St. Joseph’s Health Centre Guelph also provides community outreach programs that help people, including those living with dementia or frailty, to manage their conditions while staying active in the community.
About b current
Currently led by Marcel Stewart b current was founded by ahdri zhina mandiela, to create and provide space for Black artists (later expanding to brown and intersectional artists) to train, challenge mainstream notions of theatre, and engage with the community. Since its inception, b current has developed scores of internationally celebrated artists and their works.
About the Artist in Residence Program
The City of Guelph offers the Artist-in-Residence program to broaden the community’s experience of the arts, inviting artists to engage with the public and showcase their creative practices while animating public spaces. The program aligns with the vision of Guelph’s Culture Plan, fostering innovation through creativity, curiosity and collaborative expression.

Railway Day at Locomotive 6167
2024-10-05 11:00 - 13:30 | Locomotive 6167, John Galt Park, Guelph, Ontario, Canada
Gather around the largest object in the Guelph Museums collection: Locomotive 6167 for family fun, learning and creativity. Meet the Locomotive 6167 volunteer crew. Move to the music of Toad and Henry. Play with Senor Banana’s puppets. Make your mark with train ticket calligraphy.

Military Lecture: Evacuation of the British Airborne from Arhneim 1944 by the 23rd Royal Canadian Engineers
2024-10-17 18:30 - 20:30 | Civic Museum, 52 Norfolk Street, Guelph, Ontario, N1H 4H8, Canada
Bill McVean talks on the role of Canadian engineers in the evacuation of British 1st Airborne paratroopers from Operation Market Garden at Arnhem-Oosterbeek, Netherlands in 1944.
After nine days of fighting at Arnhem (A Bridge Too Far) about 2400 of surrounded British Airborne troops were evacuated across the Rhine River to safety on the south side of the river by the 23rd Field Company Royal Canadian Engineers. Bill will talk about the Canadian effort to evacuate the airborne troops citing his extensive research and interviews with some of the Canadian engineers involved.
Evacuation of the British Airborne from Arnheim 1944 by the 23rd Royal Canadian Engineers is presented by Bill McVean. The lecture premiered in-person at the Civic Museum, and online via our Facebook livestream. The recorded conversation is available on Facebook, YouTube, and our Museum Everywhere Portal. Guelph Museums’ Military Lecture series is presented in partnership with the Laurier Centre for the Study of Canada.
Watch The Recording

About Bill McVean:

Bill McVean was a career railroader, 21 years as Trainman and Conductor and 21 years as Rail Traffic Controller (dispatcher), the entire time a rail historian. Bill’s said at the time, “until I have walked every old Canadian railbed I have no interesting leaving this country.”
That changed in 2007 when Bill accompanied his mother on The Bridge Too Far Battlefield Tour to Arnhem, in the Netherlands. Bill Senior was a World War II Tail Gunner with the RCAF and after retirement the McVeans travelled on many battlefield tours. After her husband’s death Mrs. McVean wanted to return to Arnhem to attend the memorial service in the Oosterbeek Commonwealth War Graves Commission Cemetery, to see Dutch school children place flowers on all the 1500 graves of Arnhem casualties.
Bill joined an outgrowth of the Arnhem Veterans Club, called the Arnhem 1944 Fellowship, which now welcomes interested parties to join Arnhem veterans continuing the legacy. One of the activities of the new group is the annual battlefield walk/talk each September. In 2013, Bill McVean presented Operation Berlin and the story of the Canadian action in the evacuation of the British 1st Airborne from Arnhem. It was delivered with the Rhine River in the background, displaying a 1943 Evinrude 50HP Model 8008 Outboard Motor, the same make, model and year used by the Canadian Royal Engineers in the action 70 years before.

Thatinatón:ni – Where the Rivers Meet
2024-10-18 17:30 - 19:00 | John Galt Park, 15-147 Woolwich Street, Guelph, Ontario, N1H3V1, Canada
All are welcome to witness and celebrate the unveiling of an art intervention beside the Speed River, at the site of the former Trans Canada Trail kiosk in John Galt Park.
This event announces a research project, titled “Decolonizing Place Narratives: Thatinatón:ni – Where the Rivers Meet,” which is engaged in “re-storying” the erasure of Indigenous presence in settler-colonial urban spaces. Led by Indigenous scholars at the University of Guelph, the project is actively collecting data from local archives, gathering oral histories, and conducting site visits to “re-read” locations of historical and cultural importance. The research will culminate in a future exhibition at Guelph Civic Museum and along the waterways in Guelph.
Created by Gayogo̱hó꞉nǫʼ (Cayuga) and German artist Alex Jacobs-Blum, the photographic mural is called “At the river’s edge, the Grandmothers are weaving tomorrow” (2024). The artwork was commissioned by the Decolonizing Place Narratives Research Collective in collaboration with Guelph Museums & Culture and Parks & Trails – City of Guelph and is funded in part by a grant from Trans Canada Trail.
Through the site-specific public art installation, Jacobs-Blum poses this question: “How can Indigenous relationships with the Speed and Eramosa Rivers reshape our understanding of the City of Guelph as an Indigenous place?” The photograph features a trio of “Grandmothers” standing in the rivers, featuring Valarie King (Mississaugas of the Credit), Dr. Kim Anderson (Métis), and Renée Thomas-Hill (Mohawk/Cayuga).
Positioned next to the Speed River, the mural aims to re-story the site from a contemporary Indigenous perspective, centre our relationships with the land and water in the place we call Guelph, and cultivate awareness among local residents about shared responsibilities in caring for these vital resources amid the climate crisis.
Meet the artist and members of the Decolonizing Place Narratives Research Collective at the art unveiling and celebratory gathering. Bring your portable lanterns, lawn chairs, and blankets. Dress for the season! Snacks provided by Pow Wow Café.
Thatinatón:ni – Where the Rivers Meet is a project of the Decolonizing Place Narratives Research Collective (University of Guelph) in collaboration with Guelph Museums & Culture, Parks & Trails – City of Guelph, and Trans Canada Trail.

Photo Credit: At the river’s edge, the Grandmothers are weaving tomorrow, 2024. Digital photograph (detail), courtesy of Alex Jacobs-Blum.

Fourth Friday: Mikalyn Hay
2024-10-25 17:00 - 21:00 | Guelph Civic Museum, 52 Norfolk Street, Guelph, Ontario, N1H 4H8, Canada
For this enchanting Fourth Friday enjoy the exceptional talents of Mikalyn Hay, a unique artist with an old soul and a fresh perspective. Hay brings a deep sense of self to every song, seamlessly blending what is cool and classic. Her haunting voice, melodies, and harmonies are instinctive, showcasing a maturity and capacity beyond her years.
Hay’s natural ability, combined with her relentless pursuit of learning and collaboration, has established her as a seasoned performer. She regularly captivates audiences at open mics, accompanying herself on the keys and delivering powerful originals and covers ranging from Radiohead to Leonard Cohen.
In 2017, Mikalyn released 16 original songs, earning critical acclaim in songwriting contests worldwide and extensive play on indie stations. Her music resonates with audiences globally, making her a rising star in the alternative music scene.
Fourth Friday is a special night offering free access to the museum and a complimentary concert, designed to break down barriers to arts and culture. Don’t miss this chance to experience an intimate set of acoustic originals and classic covers, and maybe even some audience requests!

Guelph Film Festival x Guelph Civic Museum
2024-11-02 11:30 - 16:00 | Civic Museum, 52 Norfolk Street, Guelph, Ontario, N1H 4H8, Canada
Guelph Film Festival returns to the Civic Museum with two documentary screenings. This year’s festival focuses on igniting conversations about our world and relationships, sparked by the themes of resistance, inclusion, and care.
Tickets available at https://guelphfilmfestival.ca/

11:30 a.m.- Wilfred Buck
Lisa Jackson ⋅ CANADA ⋅ 96 min ⋅ Captions
Elder Wilfred Buck overcame a harrowing history by reclaiming ancestral star knowledge. He moves between earth and sky, past and present, bringing to life ancient teachings of Indigenous astronomy and cosmology to tell a story that spans generations, inviting us on an inspiring journey to the space beyond, and to the spaces between us all.
2:30 p.m – Short Series: Plant Perspectives
A series of short documentaries spotlighting the influence of plants.
CANADA ⋅ 76 min ⋅ Partial Subtitles
Directors talkback with David Hartman and Claire Sanford will follow the screening.
The Mini Forest
David Hartman ⋅ CANADA ⋅ 20 min
Terrell Wong is about to plant 100 trees in her small Toronto backyard, building a dense mini forest. What at first seems like a simple act soon evolves into a complex story about dirt, lawns, fungus, wildlife, native species, and finally the human brain.
The Everlasting Pea
Su Rynard ⋅ CANADA ⋅ 17 min
An enchanting exploration of plant life that blends scientific inquiry with ancient ruins and mysterious dreamscapes. Through the eyes of a scientist questioning plant consciousness, this unexpected narrative invites a profound reimagining of our relationship with the vegetal world.
Twig
Claire Sanford ⋅ CANADA ⋅ 39 min
Ochre streams of sand flow across the dunes in the Kubuqi Desert of Inner Mongolia, where 81-year-old Ambassador Kwon aims to plant one billion trees with the help of students. Can these unlikely forests face the harsh winds, and fight back desertification, to hold the desert in its place?

Military Lecture: The Good Allies: How Canada and the United States Fought Together to Defeat Fascism during the Second World War by Tim Cook
2024-11-03 14:00 - 15:30 | Civic Museum, 52 Norfolk Street, Guelph, Ontario, N1H 4H8, Canada
Tim Cook, Canada’s preeminent war historian, introduces his new book, “The Good Allies: How Canada and the United States Fought Together to Defeat Fascism during the Second World War.”
Doors open at 1:00 pm and presentation starts at 2:00 pm, followed by a question period.
Books will be available for purchase, with a book signing following the presentation.
The Good Allies: How Canada and the United States Fought Together to Defeat Fascism during the Second World War is presented by Tim Cook. The lecture premiered in-person at the Civic Museum, and online via our Facebook livestream. The recorded conversation is available on Facebook, YouTube, and our Museum Everywhere Portal. Guelph Museums’ Military Lecture series is presented in partnership with the Laurier Centre for the Study of Canada.
Watch The Recordings

About the Book
From our country’s most important war historian, a gripping account of the turbulent relationship between Canada and the US during the Second World War. The two nations entered the war amidst rivalry and mutual suspicion, but learned to fight together before emerging triumphant and bound by an alliance that has lasted to this day.
When the Second World War broke out in 1939, it set in motion a deadly struggle between the Axis powers and the Allies, but also fraught negotiations between and among the Allies. On questions of diplomacy, economic policy, industrial might, military capabilities, and even national sovereignty, thousands of lives and the fate of the free world depended on back-room deals and desperate trade-offs between soldiers, diplomats, and leaders.
In North America, Canada and the US strained to forge a new military alliance to guard their coasts and fend off German U-boats and the menace of a Japanese invasion. Wartime economies were entwined to produce a staggering contribution of weapons to keep Britain and other allies in the war. The defence of North America against enemy threats was essential before the US and Canada could send armies, navies, and air forces overseas.
In his trademark style, Tim Cook employs eyewitness accounts to vividly lay bare the brutality of combat and the courage of North Americans under fire. Behind the fighting fronts, the charged and often secret communications between national leaders Churchill, Roosevelt, and King reveal how their personalities shaped the outcome of history’s most destructive war, the fate of the British Empire, and the North American alliance that lives on to this day.
The Good Allies is a masterful account of how Canadians and Americans made the transition from wary rivals to steadfast allies, and how Canada thrived in the shadow of the military and global superpower. In exploring this complex and crucial dimension of the Second World War and its legacy, Cook recounts two nations’ story of cooperation, of sacrifice, and of bleeding together to save the world from the fascist threat.
About Tim Cook

TIM COOK is Chief Historian and Director of Research at the Canadian War Museum. His bestselling books have won multiple awards, including four Ottawa Book Awards for Literary Non-Fiction and two C.P. Stacey Awards for the best book in Canadian military history. In 2008 he won the J.W. Dafoe Prize for At the Sharp End and again in 2018 for Vimy: The Battle and the Legend. Shock Troops won the 2009 Charles Taylor Prize for Literary Non-Fiction. Cook is a frequent commentator in the media, and a member of the Royal Society of Canada and the Order of Canada.

Remembrance
2024-11-08 - 2024-11-11 | Ontario
From Indigenous Veterans’ Day on Friday, November 8 to Remembrance Day on Monday, November 11, admission to the Civic Museum and McCrae House will be by donation. We encourage you to visit the Museums to reflect on our our difficult history and to contemplate a better way forward.

On Remembrance Day, McCrae House will be open from 9 AM to 5 PM, and the Civic Museum will be closed.

We Remember: Beaded Poppy Workshop with Naomi Smith (Chippewas of Nawash)
2024-11-09 10:00 - 2024-11-10 16:30 | McCrae House, 108 Water Street, Guelph, Ontario, N1G 1A6, Canada
Create an embossed beaded poppy pin or pendant. This two-day workshop offers traditional teachings and an introduction to Indigenous raised beading techniques and working with deer hide.
This workshop is held in the Coach House at McCrae House to centre the practices of beading and Remembrance in the story of Lt. Col. John McCrae and the First World War. The workshop takes place between Indigenous Veterans Day on November 8th and Remembrance Day on November 11th.
All are welcome (recommended 12 years old and up). Comfort with hand sewing is an asset. Participants should bring a basic sewing kit, including beading mat, small flat nose pliers, small scissors, thimble, and magnifier.
Lunch is not provided/included. Participants are welcome to bring a bagged lunch or pick up lunch in the area.
Preregistration via Eventbrite is required. Spaces are limited so save your spot ASAP!
The cost includes a $95 workshop fee, plus $55 materials fee, per person.
About The Artist
Naomi Smith is an Indigenous Artist and Educator from the Chippewas of Nawash First Nation in Neyaashiinimiing. For over 25 years, Naomi has focused on sharing teachings about the Indigenous people of the Woodlands and Northeastern region, from historical and contemporary perspectives, often through the story of beads. Her work embraces ancestral designs in the form of bags, adornment, and traditional accessories.
